Carbureter.



110; 784,599. PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905. H. D. STUDABAKER.

' GARBURETER.

APPLICATION IILED OUT. 8. 1903.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

X'Hiigesses PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905. H. D. STUDABAKER.

GARBURETBR. ALPPLIUATION FILED OUT. 8, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

/ I I I 4 u qiforgeys UNITED STATES Patented March 14, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

HUGH D. STUDABAKER, OF BLUFFTON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO PAULHERMAN, OF BLUFFTON, INDIANA.

CARBURETER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,599, dated March 14, 1905.

Application filed October 8, 1903. Serial No- 1'76,288.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGH D. STUDABAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bluffton, in the county of Wells and State of Incliana, have invented a new and useful Carbureter, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in carbureters for the production of carbu reted air to be used for illuminating, heating, and power purposes.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a carbureter in which crude oil may be utilized in place of the lighter and more expensive products, such as gasolene, that are ordinarily employed for the purpose.

A further object of the invention is to provide a carbureter in which the carbureting chamber or chambers may be maintained at any desired temperature and in which the air may be heated prior to the saturating operation in order that the degree of saturation may be altered in accordance with the quality of the gas desired,

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character adapted more especially for use in connection with gas-engines and in which the waste heat of the engine is employed to heat either the liquid or the air, or both, and such heat may be utilized direct either by suitable connections with the water-jacket of the explosion-chamber or by direct or indirect heating from the exhaust-gases.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of carbureter in which the air to be carbureted is caused to travel in a finely-divided condition through a body of crude oil or other hydrocarbon and in escaping from the carbureting-chamber is compelled to travel a tortuous passage and forced into contact with a plurality of alternatelydisposed baflie-plates so arranged as to causethe saturated air to deposit any excess of moisture and return the surplus oil to the chamber.

A still further object of the invention is to provide, in connection with a carbureter, an auxiliary carbureter to be utilized in the initial starting of a gas-engine, the auxiliary carbureter being supplied with hydrocarbon in more volatile form than in the main carbureter, a quantity of gasolene, benzene, or any of the other lighter products being employed in order that the volume of explosive mixture may be quickly formed to start the engine into operation, after which the auxiliary carbureter may be cut off and the supply maintained from the main apparatus.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional elevation of a carbureting plant constructed and arranged in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of a portion of the same on the line22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isasectional plan view. of the device on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an elevation, partly in section, illustrating an apparatus of slightly-modified construction.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In the apparatus forming the subject of the present invention the air to be carbureted may be forced through the carbureting apparatus by means of asuitable pump, or the pump may serve to fill a storage-tank from which the air may be fed to the carbureting-chamber, or when utilized in connection with a gas-engine the suction-stroke of the piston will be found sufficient to cause the flow of air into and through the carbureting-chambers. In other cases, especially where the carbureted air is to be used at some distance from the plant, a suction-pump may be employed to draw the air through the carbureting-chambers and then force the same to the point of consumption.

' turn the same to the tank or chamber.

In the drawings, 1 designatesa tank or casing which may be rectangular in shape and formed of sheet-iron or other suitable material. Within this tank is asecond casing 2 of corresponding shape, there being a space between the two casings for the reception of water, steam, or other fluid by which the interior casing may be heated. The interior casing is divided by a plurality of transverselydisposed partitions 3 into a series of chambers 4, 5, 6, and 7, that are separated from each other by intervening passages 8, 9, and 10. The chambers extend from top to bottom of the main casing, and in the chambers 4, 5, and 6 is placed a quantity of hydrocarbon, preferably in the form of crude oil, through-which the air to be carbureted is forced. In each of the casings, at a point below the level of the oil, are partitions 11, formed of foraminous material, preferably sheets of metal having minute perforations through which the air is forced and by which it is divided, into a large number of small streams in order to effect thorough saturation. The number of perforated partitions may be increased to any desired extent, and the number of carbureting-chambers employed may be increased or diminished inaccordance with the quality of the oil and the quality of the gas to be manufactured. All of the partitions are preferably disposed below the level of the oil, and above said oil-level are arranged a number of baffle-plates 12, that extend alternatel y from opposite sides of the several chambers and are inclined to the horizontal in oi der that any fluid accumulating there may be readily drained back to the main body of oil. These baffle-plates form a tortuous passage, against which the carbureted air strikes as it rises from the chamber, and the mechanical contact would serve to separate any'surplus oil and re- Each of the chambers is provided with a fluid-su ppl y pipe 13 and a drainage-pipe 14, which may be utilized forlilling and emptying the tanks with oil or for flushing purposes when it is desired. The final chamber 7 is filled with water and serves as a scrubber for the saturated air, removing excess of oil and at the same time forming a water seal which will absolutely prevent explosion of the gas in the carbureting-chambers through accidental back-firing from the engine or other device for consuming the gas. In the operation of this portion of the mechanism as thus far described air enters the lower portion of the chamber 4 through a pipe 14 and is finely divided by means of the lowermost partition-plate 11, the. minute streams of air being individually subjected to the action of the oil until thorough saturation or impregnation takes place, and after this the saturated air is divided again and again below the body of the oil until the saturation is complete. The saturated air then strikes the several baflle-plates, and

oil in the chamber, while the saturated airpasses out at the top of the chamber and down through the passage 8 to the lower portion of the second chamber 5, where saturation again takes place, and after leaving the top of the chamber 5 the saturated air passes down through the passage 9 to the lower portion of the chamber 6 and thence up and out through the top of the chamber 6 to the passage 10. After passing down through the passage 10 the now thoroughly saturated air enters the water contained in the chamber 7 and after passing through the water is discharged through a pipe 15, that leads to the point of consumption. Should the device be employed in connection with a gas-engine, there is often danger of the explosion of the carbureted air in the carbureting-chambers from back-firing; but the presence of the water seal inchamber 7 will efl'ectually prevent the passage of the flame through said carbureting-chambers.

Under ordinary temperatures the operation of carbureting air may be carried on successfully without heating either the air or the oil; but in cold weather crude oil has a tendency to thicken, and the air if cold will not absorb a proper quantity of oil during its pas sage therefrom. In order to overcome this difficulty, I employ the heating-jacket formed by the outer casing 1 and heat all of the tanks by supplying to the space between the two casings a quantity of heated water, steam, or other fluid, so that the oil and the water may be kept at the desired temperature during the carbureting operation. Itis also desirable that the water in the chamber 7 be heated as well as the oil in the carbureting-tanks, for the reason that if not so heated the carbureted air in passing through a cold body of water will yield up a greater proportion of the oil with which it is saturated than where the temperature of the water is the same as that of the oil and air. It is also desirable that the air be heated before entering the oil, and this may be rendered necessary not only by the natural lower temperature during the winter months, but in some cases may be desirable when it is necessary to produce a gas rich in carbon, heated and dry air absorbing a much larger percentage of hydrocarbon than air at a natural temperature. For this purpose a coil or coils 1-6 are introduced into the jacket-space between the tanks 1 and 2 and heated by contact with the water, steam, or other fluid in the jacket. The air is fed to the coil through a valved pipe 17 and thence passes to the inlet-pipe 14, and said inlet-pipe is further provided with an extension 18, having a valve 19, which when opened will permit the entrance of air under natural temperature to mingle with the heated air in the coil. On the pipe 14 is placed a thermometer 20, by which the temperature of the .air may be ascertained, and if too high the bureting and water chambers may be Water,

steam, air, or other fluid, and where the device is employed in connection with a gas-engine it is preferred to utilize the waste heat of the engine to maintain the chambers at the proper temperature.

The waste heat of the gas-engine may be utilized in a number of ways, as by conveying the exhaust gases to the jacket, by employing the exhaust gases. to heat a fluid-body which is afterward circulated through the jacket, orby placing circulating-pipes between the jacket and the water-jacket arranged around the explosion-chamber of the engine.

In Fig. 1 is shown one method of utilizing the exhaust heat wherein the exhaust-pipe 23 of a gas-engine 24 is led through a coil 25 in a closed tank 26 and is finally exhausted tln'oughasuitable muflier27. The tank 26 is filled with water or other suitable fluid and is connected to the casing 1 by means of valved circulating-pipes 28. The water in the tank 26 becomes highly heated and will circulate through the space between the casings 1 and 2, and thus maintain all of the chambers, as well as the air-heating coil, at the proper temperature. The gas-engine 24 is shown as connected to the top of the Water-tank 7 by means of the pipe 15, and in said pipe is arranged a controlling-valve 30 and a pair of check-valves 31, the latter serving to minimize danger of explosions from the carbureting apparatus by back-firing.

With an apparatus of the character described it is found possible to manufacture an acceptable quality of explosive mixture from crude oil; but in the starting of the gas-engine it is desirable that the initial supply of explosive compound be more readilyobtained than by drawing the air through the main body of the apparatus. For this purpose there is employed an auxiliary carbureter in the form of a tank or casing 35, having a plurality of perforated plates 36 and baffle-plates 37, the construction being similar to that already described with reference to the carbureting-chambers. To the lower end of the casing is connected an air-pipe 38, and from the top leads the pipe 39, having a controlling-valve 40 and acheck-valve 41. The pipe 39 is connected to the main pipe 15, and when the auxiliary carburetor is in operation the valve 30 is closed and the air is drawn through the auxiliary carbureting-chamber only. At one side-of the tank or casing 35 is arranged a bracket 42,thatserves as a support for asmall tank 43, containing gasolene, benzene, benzol, or other fractional distillates of available character that are allowed to flow through a valved pipe 44 to a point above the perforated plates 36. The liquid spreads in the form of a film over the plates and is readily absorbed by the entering air to form a highly-explosive mixture. \Vhen the gas-engine is once properly started, the valves 42 and 44 are closed and the valve 30 opened to permit the supply from the main carbureter to run the engine. The engine is provided with a valved air-inlet pipe 46, by which atmospheric air may be mingled with the carbureted air in the desired proportion.

The apparatus as described relies on the suction-stroke of the piston for drawing the air through the several chambers; but in Fig. 4 I have shown an apparatus in which the air is forced under pressure through the several chambers. In the apparatus shown in Fig. 4 the several carbureting-chambers and the oilchamber are shown in the form of separatingtanks each provided with its individual waterjacket; but the construction and operation re main essentially the same as that previously described, with the exception that the air is forced through the carbureting-chambers instead of being drawn therethrough by the action of the piston of the gas-engine. In this figure, represents a storage-tan k into which compressed air is forced by a pump 51 and is led through a pipe 52 to the initial carbureting-chamber, and this pipe 52 is provided with a safety-valve 53, through which any excess of air may escape when the engine is notrunning or is operating at less than normal speed, thus preventing waste of hydrocarbon. Fig. 4 shows also a modification of the invention in which the water-jacket of the explosionchamber of engine 51 is connected by a pipe 54 to the jackets 55, surroundin the several carbureting and oil chambers, so that the heated water from the jacket and the engine may be utilized direct in the heating of the oil and water contained in the several jackets of the carbureting apparatus.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a carbureter, a tank adapted to contain liquid hydrocarbon and provided at its lower end with an air-inlet, and at its upper end with a gas-outlet, a foraminous plate extending across the tank at a point below the liquid-level, a plurality of baflie-plates ar ranged above the level of the liquid and form ing a tortuous passage for the carbureted air, and a heating-jacket encircling the tank and serving to raise the temperature of the hydrocarbon and to assist in the separation of excess liquid from the air while passing the baflie-plates.

IIO

2. In a carbureter, a tank divided by partitions into a plurality of earbureting-chambers separated by intervening passages, outlets leading from the upper portions of the chambers to the passages, inlets leading from the passages to the lower ends of the chambers, and a continuous heating-jacket surrounding said tank and all of the chambers and passages.

3. in a carbureter, a tank divided by partitions into a plurality of carbureting-chambers separated by intervening passages, outlets leading from the upper portions of the chambers to the passages, inlets leading from the passages to the lower portions of the chambers, foraminous plates disposed in the several chambers at points below the liquidlevel, inclined bafiie-plates arranged in each chamber and forming a tortuous passage for the carburcted air, and a continuous heatingjacket encircling said tank and all of such chambers and passages.

4. In a carbureter, a tank divided by partitions into a plurality of chambers separated by intervening passages, the [inal chamber of the series serving as a scrubbing-chamber, and the remaining chambers being adapted to contain liquid hydrocarbon, ducts connecting the chambers and passages in series, the air to be carburcted being passed successively through the several earbureting-chambers and finally through the scrribbing-chamber, and a continuous heatingjacket encircling said tank and all of said chambers and passages.

5. In a carburetor, a pair of tanks spaced from each other to form a water-jacket, the inner of such tanks being divided by partitions into a plurality 01 carbureting-chambers, a water-tank, a heating-coil disposed in said water-tank, a pipe for conveying the exhaust of a gas-engine to said coil, and'circulating-rfipes extending between the upper and lower portions of the outer tank of the pair and the water-tank thereby to permit the continuous circulation of water between and through the two tanks.

6. In a carbureting apparatus, a carbureting-chamber; a heating-jacket encircling the same, an air-pipe leading through the heating-jacket for the heating of the air in advance of its entrance to the carbureting-chamher, and a valved auxiliary pipe through which a controlled quantity of air may be admitted to the inlet-pipe in advance of the connection of the latter with the carbureting- HUGH D. S"UDABAKER.

lVitnesses:

Geo. \V. STUDAiaAKnR, J r., Z. T. l Vmnss. 

